The New Elderly Patient: A Necessary Upgrade

Abstract

The elderly individual is becoming the most common patient in clinical practice due to the increasing average life span, especially in developed countries. The current elderly patients are different from those of some decades ago. They usually have an active social life, want to be informed, and are actively involved in the current society with consequent high expectations for medical and dental treatment. However, not all the elderly patients are like this. Some of them show limited financial resources, reduced mental and manual skills, and poor motivation. The purpose of this communication is to make a brief characterization of the new elderly population in view of prosthetic and dental management.